Blake - Houston-Packer Collection BT155 .B53 1653

84 The Covenant ofWor s Chap 1.4 per madam objeai , as it containes a Declaration of the divine will and it propcfeth ro the underftanding and will the things to be known, beleeved and praftifed. Pembleviradic.grathe dei 4t°. peg. 96. So that if Rurgerfdzcìt his Gladiue and col- ter be ad:bye infiruments and Reckermans incur tn, rumentum fabricationis, and his Scamnum and menfa accubïtús, and terra am- bu'eationit; yet it followes not, as is thence inferred, that there is no paffive infirument. Here is an infirument that is paffive ; That which is produced by an efficient or principal agent to the producing of an effec`t,and receives activity and power from fome other, is a paffive inftru- ment, and not attive. But the word is produced and held forth of God for the work of ¡unification, and hath its power of work- ing elfewhere ; forgivenelfe of fins is preached in the Gofpel, Oaf 13. 32. But it h thofe that beieeve,thatare¡unified; Faith through the Spirit gives efficacy and power of working to it ; fo that neither the Gofpel, nor Faith in the Gofpel , fhould in this office of an infirument in jufiification be denied their due honour. The Gofpel received by faith is a plenary infirument in this work and faith embracing the tender and promife of the Gofpel. The Gofpel is an outward infirument, faith Ravanelly Faith an inward ; They both making up one infirument full and corn- pleat, yet Faith is more aptly and fitly called an infirument ; See - ing that faith gives efficacy as an infirument to the word , the word may be without Faith and fo no infirument at all ; but Faith alwayes prefuppofeth the word of promife it is not with- out its object. Therefore to winde up this whole difpute in which I have ftu- died to be brief(though I fear force will think I have been too te- dious;) Seeing that thofe that make Faith the infirument in ¡u- nification , make the Gofpel an infirument likewife, and dare not go about to firip it of its honour. I hope that they that make the Gofpel an inftrument, will acknowledge Faith to be an in- 'firument in like manner; being in their efficacy as infiruments fo infeparably joyned, and fo all the controverfie may be fairely ended and concluded, Amen. Thefe thingsyjeing premifed, I fuppofe it may be eafily cleared, that Faith is aconditionin the Covenant of Grace. That which gives_

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